This Week in MKE Music: April 11-17, 2024

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Present Music’s The Blue Hour at Milwaukee Art Museum, heavy psych at Club Garibaldi, local music galore at Linneman’s and Shank Hall, a toast to Whispering Jeff, 414 Day Celebrations and more—This Week in Milwaukee Music!

Thursday, April 11

The Blue Hour @ Milwaukee Art Museum, 7:30 p.m.

“In terms of side-by-side songwriting, this [The Blue Hour] is a first … to jointly make so many decisions together, to be both composer, actor, producer, engineer, and the sheer scale of the work, with so many moving parts—those were new experiences that were complicated,” said Shara Nova. (shepherdexpress.com/music/music-feature/present-music-presents-the-blue-hour-at-milwaukee-art-museum) “It was like moving a steam liner rather than a sailboat. There are a lot more gears and levers to turn the ship around.”

Earthless w/ Minami Deutsch @ Club Garibaldi, 7:30 p.m.

San Diego heavy psych trio Earthless’ album Night Parade of One Hundred Demons features over an hour of sinister explorations and interpretations of ancient Japanese folk-mythology. The trio has dedicated itself to mastery of the mind-bending jam session. Tokyo’s Minami dive into the deep end of Deutsch kosmische musik. Consider this show a warmup for next month’s annual Milwaukee Psych Fest.

Friday, April 12

Luke Combs w/Cody Jinks @ American Family Field, 5:45 p.m.

…and just like that, our Major League Baseball stadium turns into a roadhouse. Country artist Luke Combs recent appearance with Tracy Chapman performing her song “Fast Car” was a highlight of the Grammy Awards. Who says there are no second acts—or third acts even? Cody Jinks started out as singer and lead guitarist in a thrash metal before shifting to the music of his youth, country. He has also covered Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here.”

5PM To Nowhere w/Blacktop and Oliver Dodge @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 8p.m.

A trio of young acts, 5PM to Nowhere is an alt-pop project formed in 2020 by Milwaukee singer-songwriter Jacob Webb. Evoking the emotional balladry of Coldplay and the thematic songwriting of Sufjan Stevens; Blacktop is the project of Milwaukee-based multi-instrumentalist and producer, Austin Wood. Blacktop draws from a large pool of influence from Ethiopian jazz and Latin rhythms of the 1960-‘70s to modern pop and alternative artists. Oliver Dodge rounds out the bill.

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Saturday, April 13

Vijay Iver Trio @ Bradley Symphony Center, 7 and 9 p.m.

Heralded as “Trailblazing … one of his generation’s brightest jazz luminaries,” by Time Out New York, pianist-composer Vijay Iyer, with bassist Linda May Han Oh and drummer Tyshawn Sorey play the Bradley Symphony Center as part of the MSO Speakeasy series. The unique and intimate behind-the-scenes opportunity allows concertgoers to sit right on the stage for the performance.

Well + Good w/ North Warren and Secondhand Souls @Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

A showcase concert for three local bands, indie alt rockers Well + Good released their debut album in 2023; North Warren’s slacker rock mixes indie, punk and alternative rock with emotional weight. Secondhand Souls round out the bill.

Cabeza de Chivo w/Gabacho, Death is a Business, and Pen Pals @ Cactus Club, 8:30 p.m.

This Chicago-centric show features psychedelic tropicalistas Cabeza de Chivo, who blend multiple styles including cumbia, salsa, merengue, garage rock, surf and dub. Gabacho, the solo project of Mexican American songwriter Siul Reynoso, serves up lo-fi surf rock gems that balance and integrate American pop music with traditional Mexican styles like ranchera and cumbia. Milwaukee’s Death is a Business incorporates musicians and instruments from around the world like the Afro-Peruvian cajon and the Andean flute. DJ Pen Pals keeps things grooving.

Sunday, April 14 – 414 Milwaukee Day

414 Milwaukee Day, an annual day of recognition that began in 2010 by identifying the city with its area code. While the idea of a Milwaukee Day dates back to 1931 (shepherdexpress.com/culture/milwaukee-history/milwaukee-day-always-april-14-depression-era-predecessor-city-s-day-celebration) this Spring celebration serves to kickoff outdoor festivities and spur local pride.

414 Flag Drop @ City Hall, 10 a.m.

Attend the fifth annual 414 Milwaukee flag unfurling. Festivities include DJ ZSMOOV from Jammin 98.3FM, Bublr Bikes is offering free bike rides all day long, Fuel Cafe and BelAir Cantina are providing complimentary breakfast burritos and coffee, 414 Milwaukee is offering a free limited edition t-shirt (while supplies last), 10 time national boxing champion Violet "The Warrior Princess” Lopez, and coach Angel Villarreal, Jr., will be ringside for the flag drop, Harmonic Harvest is launching their Renaissance Threads program—an art workshop inspired by personal stories from Milwaukeeans using recycled materials and fabric from the fashion industry. If that’s not enough, the Flag drop will feature a small 414 Day wedding ceremony.

Blessing of the Bock @ Falcon Bowl, noon

The 36th Annual Blessing of the Bock will be conducted by Jim Klisch of Lakefront Brewery, followed by a special tribute to Whispering Jeff (shepherdexpress.com/food/microbrews-mke/remembering-whispering-jeff) whom we recently lost. Jeff worked tirelessly to bring the Blessing of the Bock to life each year and he will be missed. He truly was one of a kind.

Tickets available at the door are just $30 and include samples from local craft breweries, a locally based importer and the Beer Barons of Milwaukee, as well as a complimentary Usinger brat. Music by Polka Don & Becky.

414 Day @ The Cooperage, 5 p.m.

The party continues at The Cooperage with local art, local vendors and local music from Sex Scenes, The Mighty Deerlick, Emmit James, Force, and Video Sex Priest.

The Westerlees @ Anodyne, 6 p.m.

The Westerlees are like old-fashioned, country-baked pie. They don’t make them much like that anymore, but every time you taste one you wonder why not. Steel guitar, fiddle, clarinet and more come together to tunes from the 1920-‘40s—everything from the Light Crust Doughboys to Bob Wills to Hank Williams.

Milwaukee Day Party @ Vivarium, 8 p.m.

Here is another chance to celebrate 414 Day with Gerald Walker, Mike Regal, Valerie Lighthart, and Will Pfrang and the Good Land Gang.

Tuesday, April 16

Al Di Meola @ The Pabst Theater, 6 p.m.

This concert is rescheduled from November. Al Di Meola gained fame in the early ‘70s with Return to Forever and has continued to draw from jazz and music from around the world—flamenco, tango, Middle Eastern, Brazilian and African music with his World Sinfonia, an ambitious pan-global group that he formed in 1991.

Wednesday, April 17

Night Club w/ Rosegarden Funeral Party and The Quilz @ X-Ray Arcade, 6 p.m.

Get your midweek dance on at X-Ray with a heady triple bill. Night Club is a dark electronic duo formed in Los Angeles. Touching upon themes such as mental illness, loneliness and revenge, their self-released albums have helped them build a cult-like following since their formation.

Armed with just a guitar and a switchblade, Rosegarden Funeral Party suggest what would happen if Peter Murphy and Siouxsie Sioux birthed an Indigo Child later to be baptized in Alan Watts’ philosophy? If you don’t know Milwaukee’s The Quilz by now, you are missing out. Here is a chance to remedy that.